275 
The officials consist of one forest-master, one assistant forest-. 
master, four forest-guards, one sawmill-master, three clerks, and: 
120 labourers. The last named receive 5 francs 40 cents a day ° 
when they are first engaged and rise to 6 francs 40 cents a day. 
Altogether the net annual income from the forest area amounts to 
80,000 francs. 
Winterthur.—On July 18th the town forest of Winterthur was 
visited. This extends to about 3000 acres and is entered from the 
outskirts of the town. It has belonged to the town since the year 
1264, at which date it was presented by Prince Rudolf of Haps- 
urg. The geological formation is similar to that of the Sihlwald, ° 
a fertile loam formed partly by the erosion of sandstone, overlying © 
a bed of soft sandstone, but the gradients are easier and amenable - 
to road-making. The forest officers have taken advantage of this ~ 
and an excellent system of roads has been perfected by which all - 
the timber can be extracted. Se ee 
Climatic conditions differ from those of the Sihlwald, the annual _ 
rainfall being returned as 40 inches against 60 inches in the Sihl-_ 
wald. A different system of management also prevails. Previous 
to 1898 clear felling by the strip system was practised, but owing to 
difficulties experienced in regeneration, that was discontinued, and 
felling and regeneration by groups adopted. By this means groups ~ 
of trees of varying ages will eventually be found side by side instead _ 
of sections of different ages as in the Sihlwald. In this particular 
district. the small group system of regeneration is said to be more — 
economical than that previously in vogue, whilst the landscape effect 
is not disturbed. rs - 
The fertile ground favours the rapid growth of brambles and other 
coarse weeds where openings are made, and it is said to be easter to_ 
wage effective war against them by the small group system of 
felling and regeneration than when a considerable area has been 
clear felled. Another argument urged in favour of the system is 
that the quality of the soil is maintained in the highest degree by 
only uncovering small areas at once, therefore, by that means it is — 
possible to obtain the best returns from the ground. Under this — 
system of management the trees on an area 3O or 40 yards mm 
diameter are felled, leaving a number of the best trees of desirable 
species as mother‘trees, A long regeneration period, extending to 
30 or 40 years, is allowed for the mother trees being gradually 
removed. The minimum amount of injury to young trees is said to 
occur when every mother tree is felled with its head towards th 
road for it can then be pulled out small end first. During the | 
regeneration period other groups will be cut and as young trees 
appear, old ones about the outskirts will be removed to give room 
and the different groups of young trees will gradually unite. The 
working plans are upon the estimate that the whole forest 
will be cut over and regenerated in from 120 to 140 years. 
31104 u 
